On Sunday, December 12, there was an invitation-only wreath-laying at Arlington Cemetery, located in the Washington, DC area. It was the annual wreath-laying, sponsored by Wreaths Across America, and the invite was for people who have a family member laid to rest there. Laying a wreath has been something I have done since I moved here. Laying it for a loved one, saying their name aloud as you lay it upon their grave, as a way to honor them. It is a moment committed to my memories and an absolute honor.
The Main entrance, at the Women's War Memorial. The building in the background is Arlington House, the nation's memorial to Robert E. Lee. Lee was the Confederate commander of the Southern armies during the American Civil War. It was specifically built to overlook the city of Washington DC, the nation's capital. You can read more about him here.
A large truck, by way of Maine, came with many, many wreaths. Everyone there unloaded them and set up lines to distribute them. The second set of wreaths will be on December 18th. This was put out by Wreaths across America and Arlington National Cemetery: "Volunteers will be required to register in order to participate in the public wreath-laying. We are committed to ensuring the safety of all those that want to participate, and as such, will have designated entry gates and times for a limited number of registered volunteers to enter." You can read more about it here.
Wave to the volunteers. Every single one of them has a son or daughter, husband, wife... somewhere in there. I know it does their heart good to see so many coming today, to share the task at hand. Don't get me wrong, not one person feels like it is work, but, rather, an act of love. There is a camaraderie there, one of loss, one of pride, one of understanding. They even offer me some fresh coffee.
They give you the wreath(s) for you to lay upon the grave. They did not give the instructions that I have heard so many times before... Can you say their name aloud as you lay it upon their grave, as a way to honor them? They need not do this, for on this day, we will know the person. This is saved for when you are there to place the wreaths on the entire cemetery and you don't know the person buried there. It is their way of recognizing their sacrifice, a small way of honoring them by acknowledging them by name.
I take three wreaths.
They always mark each wreath, they are counted and distributed. Each one was donated, and not only for Arlington but, for all of the National Cemeteries across America. People like you and me. Grumman Corporation donates $20,000.00 every year. It is amazing how much has been done, especially because they are all donations.
I can see that many wreaths have already been placed, with many more people still milling about. My heart goes out to some mother, her loss was fairly new...
But, does it ever get old?
A father covering the grave of his son with a wreath. I stood, watching from afar, and then, he stood straight as an arrow and gave him a salute, soldier to soldier. Then he leaned down and kissed his stone, father to son. I think my heart broke in half. 💔
Many more are starting to show up and will continue to do so until they close later today. On these 624 acres that make up the cemetery, there are 400,000 people buried here and each one will get a wreath. I will be back on the 18th of December.
It will be my honor.
All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.
It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.
“The cost of getting those wreaths to the cemetery was the barrier to getting more wreaths down there. Crowley Cares, the charitable piece of the corporation, has matched all the donations that have been made, and all the transportation has been donated, so we removed that barrier. It goes beyond the fact that you’re delivering a wreath to be laid on a servicemember’s grave. You’re delivering so much more when you think of the families that will see that wreath, potentially for the first time, laid on their loved one’s grave. The opportunity to deliver that level of heart-felt thanks is why we do what we do.”...Vice President, Government Solutions unit, Patrick Wallace
You can read more about Wreaths Across America here.
Soldier, rest! thy warfare o'er,
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking:
Dream of battled fields no more,
Days of danger, nights of waking.
In our isle's enchanted hall,
Hands unseen thy couch are strewing,
Fairy strains of music fall,
Every sense in slumber dewing.
Soldier, rest! thy warfare o'er,
Dream of fighting fields no more:
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking,
Morn of toil, nor night of waking.
Sir Walter Scott
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